Positive column tube



Patented Mar. 9, 19 37 HrantEcknayan, New York, N. Y., assignor toClaude Neon Lights, Inc., New'Yoi-k, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication August a, 1934, Serial No. 738,383

10 Claims.

and to circuit arrangements between the tubes, and particularlytopositive column tubes positioned in closely adjacentparallel relation,and 5 to the circuit arrangements connecting tubes so positioned. Byplacing positive column tubes in closely adjacent parallel relation,increased intensity of illumination has been obtained, or tubes ofsmaller diameter may be used resulting 10 in a substantial reduction inthe current flow through the tubes with substantially the equiv-' alentlight intensity .of a'high current large diameter tube. In addition, anew visual effect is obtained by tubes arranged in accordance with 15.the invention. u

Tube fractures, corona and brush discharges, noise. and other.undesirable effects between close- 1y. adjacent tubes occur whenarelatively high potential difference exists between adjacent parts ofthe tubes, or if the tubes are parallel and close.-

ly adjacent to each other, then the effects will probably occurthroughout the entirelength of the tubes. The invention also eliminatesthese,

undesirable and injurious effects by a circuit arrangement,-the'rebyproviding 'a 'practic'aI con struction for tubes arranged in closelyparallel position. I t

The principal object of the invention is to obmm high intensity ofillumination from positive 30 column tubes, or to obtain intensity ofilluminatlon, equivalent to that obtained from a large diameter highcurrent positive column tube,- at

a substantially reduced current by placing tubes of substantiallysmaller diameter in closel ad- 33 jacent parallel arrangement.

Another object of the inven tion is to take advantage of thehighintensity illumination obtainable from positive column tubes ofrelatively small diameter .by positioning groups of tubes 4c andparticularly pairs of tubes closely parallel to each other andsoccnnected electrically that the potential or voltage drop in allparallel tubes is in the same direction. j

Another object is to devise a positive column 45 tube arrangementutilizing tubes and preferably pairs of tubes in adjacent parallelrelation and so connect them together and with a high voltagetransformer that the potential drop in each tube of a pair is in thesame direction and the .50 potential difference between adjacent tubesand particularly adjacent parallel tubes is not'excessive. I i

A still further object of the invention is to so "connect together aplurality-of transformers-and 55 a plurality of positive column tubes,at least' two v This invention relates to positive column tubesutilizingtwo" transformers connected with par-v l the tubes.

of which are in parallel adjacent relation, so that there issubstantially no potential difference existing between .paralleladjacent tubes.-

Otherobjects of the. invention willbe more apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showingthe preferred embodiment of the invention, in which: a

Figure 1 shows a connection for a-plurality of positive column-tubesarranged in pairs in which the tubes of each pair are in adjacentparallel relation and the pairs of tubes are in alignment or positionedend to. end. The connections between the high voltage transformer andthe tubes are such that a'minimum potential drcp'exists between adjacentportions of; the parallel tubes and the tubes in adjacent end to endrelation. Figure 2 shows a plurality of pairs of tubes arranged as inFigure 1i, and with a single transformer connected in at diiferentmanner from that shown in Figure l to obtain substantially the sameresult, namely, a minimum potential difference between adjacent paralleltubes.

Figure 3 showsa third form of the invention allel adjacent tubes in sucha manner that the 5 potential difference between the tubes of any pairof parallel adjacent tubes throughout their lengths is zero orsubstantially zero, I 7

High intensity or brilliancy of illumination is o obtainable frompositive column tubes by utiliz'-,

ing a large diameter tube, such as millimeters in diameter, and passinga high current therethrough, such as in the neighborhood of 1000milliamperes, so that a high current density is obtained in the tube.Positive column tubes of small diameter can be utilized in closelyadjacent parallel relation to obtain equivalent or substanv tiallyequivalent high intensity of illuminationor b llliancy, which intensityis obtained at a con--- 40 s derably lower current and hence at aconsiderably lower power) consumption than required with a single largediameter high current tube. Comparable effective intensity or intrinsicbrillia'ncy of illumination is obtainable with the small diametertubing, such as 8 to 10 millimeters in diameter carrying a current offrom 30 to 80 milliam-' peres, when these tubes are', placed in parallelclosely adjacent relation. 'Such small diameter tubes may be 'spaced'from each other, in order to realize the best effect, anywhere betweenactual contact and a spacing of one-half inch between A greaterseparation between tubes than one-half inch gives good intensity, butnot of the same value as the closer spacing range referred to. The closespacing of the parallel tubes also creates a new visual ,or decorativeeflect in positive column tube illumination and particularly in signdisplay. principally because tubes and the transformer is to connect theends of the secondary winding of the transformerto of tubes.

the electrodes in adjacent ends of two tubes in 7 end to end relation,such as the electrodes i9 and '24. The remote or far-ends of each pairof parallel tubes are connected together, namely the electrodes I8 and20, and electrodes 25 and 21 and the electrodes 2i and 26 are alsoconnected to complete the circuit and thereby connect all tubes inseries with the secondary winding of the transformer. Such connectionsof course utilize a minimum length of wire and in fact very shortconnections are suflicient since the tubes are in closely adjacentrelation.

With the circuit connections as described above, a potential dlflerenceof one-half of the transformer potential output, or 7500 volts, existsbetween the near ends of each pair of parallel tubes, namely between thetubes l3 and It at the ends carrying the electrodes l9 and2l and alsobetween the tubes 15 and I6 at the ends adjacent the electrodes 24 and26.. The potential diflerence or voltage between the adjacent paralleltubes diminishes toward .the far ends of each pair of adjacent tubeswhere the potential difference is zero. Again the potential differenceor voltage between the ends of the tubes which are connected to the endsof the secondary winding of the transformer is the entire potentialoutput of the transformer or about 15000 volts. This potentialdifference would be between electrodes l9 and 24 and the ends of thetubes carrying these electrodes in the electrical connection now usedand described above.

As a consequence of such a tube and circuitarrangement or connection,the glassmust have a high resistance to electrical strain and fracture,such as pyrex. Transformers customarily used in sign work with tubesarranged asdescribed above have usually a potential output in theneighborhood of 15000 volts and the tubes,

connected as described above, will have set up therein static strainwhich will be followed by noise, a corona or brush discharge andpuncture of the glass tube or tubes, resulting in short life The abovedifliculties have been overcome by a tube and circuit arrangement,.three embodiments of which are shown. One form is shown in Figure 1,where there is shown a positive'column tube transformer I ll, theprimary winding ll of which is connected with a source of commercialelectrical energy such as the wires B and C. The

secondary winding i2 of the transformer I is connected in series withfour positive column tubes l3, ll, l and IS in which pairsofparalleladjacent tubes l3, I4 and I5, I6, are posi- .tioned in end toend relation to form any desired design. The tubes of each pair are inelosely. adjacent, relation and preferably ,parallel to each other inorder to obtain high in-' tensity of illumination as discussed above.Ob-

viousiy, the tubes need not be positioned in straight lines nor needthey be straight tubes, but may be positioned end to end and bent toform any desired form, configuration or design.

The series arrangement or connection is obtained by connecting one endof the secondary winding l2 of the transformer ID to the electrode l8 atthe far end of the tube I3 by the wire IT. The electrode I9 atthe otheror near end of the tube I 3 is then electrically connected to theelectrode at the far end of the adjacent parallel tube M by a connection22. The electrode 2! at the near end of the tube i4 is then connected tothe electrode 24 at the near end of the tube l5 oi the other pair oftubes, which tube has its end adjacent to the tube iii in end to endrelation. The electrode 25 at the far end of the tube is is thenconnected by a wire 28 with the electrode 25 in the near end of theparallel adjacent tube 86 which is the tube in adjacent end to endrelation with the tube M. The electrode 21 at the other and far end ofthe tube I6 is connected through the wire 29 to the other end of thesecondary winding, I2 of the transformer 50.

As previously stated and described, all of the tubes are connected inseries so'that the potential drop in each tube is substantiallyone-quarter 'of the potential output of the transformer which,

for the purposes of illustration, shall be assumed to be 16000 volts.The electrode i8, therefore, has the full potential applied thereto.This end of the tube H, or at the electrode I9, is in the neighborhoodof 12000 volts. If it be assumed thatthere is no potential drop in theconnection 22 between electrodes 18 and Z0, and as a matter of fact the.potential drop in all connectionsis negligible, the voltageon theelectrode 20 at the far or outer end of the tube M will be in theneighborhood of 12000 volts. The electrode 2! at the other or inner endof' the tube M will have a voltage of approximately one-half of thepotential out ut of the transformer ID, or about 8000 volts. heelectrode 24 then has substantially the same voltage as the electrode 2|or about one-half of the potential output of the transformer. Theelectrode 25 at the other or outer end of the tube I5 has a potentialthereon of about 4000 volts.

It will be observed, therefore, that in each tube of a group of paralleltubes, such as tubes l3 and I4 and tubesli and I6, irrespective ofanother group of parallel adjacent tubes with which the last tube isnot-in end to end rela-' tion, such as the electrode 24' of the tube IS.The transformer Ill, therefore, has one end of its secondary winding l2connected to the outer end of one tube 01' one group or pair of paralleladjacent tubes and the other end of the secondary winding i2 connectedto the far or outer end of the last tube of another group or pair ofmeans that the potential at the inner or near parallel adjacent tubes,which latter tube is not in end to end alignment with the first tube.

It will be observed by noting the potentials at the. respectiveelectrode, as indicated on the drawings, that the potential differencebetween the tubes l3 and i4 adjacent the electrodes l3 and Y20,respectively, is approximately 4000 volts or one-quarter of the outputof the transformer.

The same-potential difference of oneaquarter of the output of thetransformer exists at the other end of each tube l3, l4, or uniformly attheelectrodes l9 and respectively. This means'that j the potentialdifference-between parallel adjacent tubes throughout the lengths'of'each tube,

- such as tubes I3, i4, is in the neighborhood of one-quarter of thetransformer output.

A comparison of the potentials on the electrodes of the tubes l5 and I6,indicates that the potential drop in this pair of tubes is also in thesame direction and that the potential drop between theadjacent paralleltubes throughout their lengths is one-quarter of the potential output ofthe transformer or about 4000 volts. It r will be further noted that thepotential difference between adjacent ends of tubes in end to endrelation, such as between electrodes 2i and 26 and electrodes Hand 24,is approximately one-quarter the potential output .cf the trans'-'former or about 4000 volts. There has beenthen a bstantial reduction inthe potentialdifferenc between tubes in adjacent, paralleLrelation andin adjacent end to end relation which reduces toa minimum the effectscaused bypotential differences in adjacent tubes. Any number of pairs orgroups of parallel-tubes can be If the tubes are not of equal length,-the poten-' connected, together following the principle outlined aboveand thereby further reducing the 100- j tentialdiiference between tubes.I r Similarly, any number of tubes may be positioned in paralleladjacent relation and by connecting one end of one tube to the'far endof the adjacent tube, the potential drop ineach tube will be in the samedirection so that the potential difference between adjacent tubes willbe uniform throughout their lengths. The potential difference betweenadjacent parallel tubes of equal length will be that fraction of thepotential output of the transformer'determined' by the inverse ratio ofthe number of equal length tubes connected in series with thetransformer.

" tial difference can be determined by calculating the potential dropper foot of tubing, calculating the potential at any two adjacent pointsin parallel tubes, and taking thepotential difference at these twopoints.

In Figure 2 the tubes 34 and 36 are positioned in parallel adjacentrelation and the tubes 36 and 31 are also positioned in paralleladjacent relation with each other and in end to end relation with thefirstpair of tubes in'the same manher as the tubes inFigure '1 arepositioned. The

transformer iii in this circuit arrangement, however, is connecteddifferently from that shown in Figure 1, as will be now described. Oneend of the secondar'ywinding I; of the transformer i0 is connected by awire 40 to the electrode 4i at the near or inner end of the positivecolumn tube 34 so that the maximum outputof' the transformer is appliedat this end of the tube.

With four tubes connected in series a potential drop through each tubeis substantially onequarter of the transformer output, which again willbeassumed to be 16000 volts, so that the electrode-42 at the far orouter end of the tube- 34 has a potential in the neighborhood of 12000volts. The electrode 42 at thefar end 'of the tube 34 is then connectedby a wire 43 to the electrode 44 at the near orinnerend of the tuberelation with the tube34.

36 which is in adjacent side by side or parallel The electrode 46 at theouter end of the tube 35 has therefore a potential in the neighborhoodof 8000 volts.

The electrode 45 at the far end of the tube 35 is connected by a wire 46to the electrode 49 which is at the inner end of the tube 31 of theother pair of parallel adjacent tubes. The po'- tential upon thiselectrode is substantially the same as that of electrode 45 or in theneighborhood of 8000-volts. The electrical potential on the electrode 60at the outer end of the tube 31 is, therefore, in the neighborhood of4000 volts. The electrode 66 at the outer end of the tube 31 is thenconnected by a-wire 6i to the electrode 62 at the near or inner end ofthe adjaa potential in the neighborhood of one-quarter of the potentialoutput of the transformer Ill. The electrode 33 then at the far endofthe tube 36 has an electrical potential of zero and is connected by awire 64 .to the other end of the secondary winding l2- of thetransformer Hi.

It will be observed that the potential in the positive column tubes ofeach pair of tubes .decreases in the same direction, and that thepotential difference between each tube of each pair is uniformthroughout their length or approximately on-quarter of the transformeroutput. In the connection shown in Figure 2 the potential differencebetween the electrodes 4i and]! of the tubes 34 and 36 which are inadjacent end to end relation is greater than one-quarter of the pair oftubes, 62, 33 which latter tubes are in adjacent parallel relation. Athird pair of tubes 64,65 which are in paralleladjacent relation withrespect to each other may be positioned end toend with respect to thetubes 62 and 63, or may be positioned in anyother relation as desired,the pairs or groups, as illustrated, being spaced from each other.

s'pect to each other and in end to end relation with the third pair oftubes 64, 6.6. All of these pairs of tubes may be arranged so as toproduce any desired design. v

A transformer 10 having a primary winding ll connected with a source ofelectrical ener y. suchas the commercial mains B and C,-has one end ofthe secondary winding "connected by a wire 13 to the electrode 60 at oneend of the tube 60. The electrode 3| at'the other end of the tube 30 isconnected by a .wire I4 to'the adjacent .electrode 92 in the adjacentend of the tube 62. The electrode93 at the other end of the tube 62 isin turn connected by a wire. 13, to the electrode 94 -in one end of thetube 64 and the electrode 35 at the other end of this latter tube isconnected by a wire 16 to the electrode 96 in the adjacent a centparallel tube 36 so that this electrode has A fourth pair of tubes 66,31 are shown in parallel adjacent relation with reend of the tube 66.The electrode 31 at theother end of the tube 66 is connected by a wire11 to' the other end of the secondary winding I2 of the transformer 10.

A second transformer 30 has its primary windlengths of the tubes 60, 8|is substantially zero.

The electrodes I00, l0l; I02, I08; I04, I; I08, I01 of the positivecolumn tubes 8|, 63, 65 and 61 are connected together, respectively, bythe wires 84, 85 and 86 in the same order or sequence as the tubes 60,82, 64 and 66 are connected together. The other or last electrode of thetube 68 is connected, by a wire 81 to the other end of the secondarywinding 82 to complete the circuit connecting all of the tubes iii, 63,65 and 81 in series with the transformer.

The potential difference between the second pair ofparallel adjacenttubes 82, 63 throughout their length is also zero or substantially zeroand the potential drop is in the same direction in each tube. The sameis true of the third pair of tubes 64, 85 and the fourth pair of tubes68, 61,

the electrodes of which are connected to the other ends of the secondarywindings 12 and 82 of their respective transformers l0 and 80 throughwires TI and 81 respectively. It will be noted also that since theconnections between tubes have a negligible potential drop therethrough,the electrodes of tubes in adjacent end to end relation have,substantially the same potential so that the potential differencebetween tubes in adjacent end to end relation is substantially zero. I

-With the construction described in Figure 3, a plurality of groups ofparallel positive column tubes are provided in which each tube of eachgroup is in adjacent parallel relation and the potential drop throughoutthelength of each tube of each pair is in the same direction. .-With thesame potential applied at the electrodes at corresponding ends of eachgroup of tubes, there is no or substantially nopotential differencebetween adjacent portions of all the tubes throughout their lengths. Itwill be observedfth'erefore. that there is no potential strain exertedupon adjacent glass tubing either in parallel or in endto end relationand that corona and brush discharge efiects are entirely eliminated.

It is evident that the transformers need not have the same potentialoutput but may in fact be different so long as an excessive potentialdifference will not exist between adjacent parallel tubes. As a'matterof fact the potential output of the two transformers may vary by 4,000volts and the potential difference between tubes will not exceedthepotential difference existing between the adjacent parallel tubes shownin Figures l and'2. The preferred condition, however, is to so selectthe tube length and potential output of the transformers so that thepotential difference between adjacent parallel tubes is substantiallyzero. It may also be pointed out that the transformers must be connectedin the same phase and a simple electric lamp tester can be used andconnected across wires 18 and 88 to determine the phase relation. If thetest lamp is illuminated the voltage is outv of phase and illuminatedwhich indicates that the voltages in both transformers are in phase. Itis evident also that the electrodes need not be arranged so that theyare adjacent each other but may come at any point between the ends ofthe adjacent parallel tube. v

It is evident, therefore, that improved operation of adjacent paralleltubes is obtained whereevernthe potential difference throughout thelengths'of a group or pair of parallel adjacent tubes is reduced to aminimum as shown in Figures 1 and 2 where the potential differenceissubstantially that fraction of the potential output of the transformerused as the inverse ratio of the number of tubes connected in series.The

potential difference between adjacent parallel tubes may be entirelyeliminated with a construction such as shown in Figure 3 where eachparallel tube of a group of parallel tubes is connected in series withone tube of the other groups of parallel'tubes and a transformer incorresponding relation.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in theconfiguration, composition and disposition of the component elementsgoing to make up the invention as a whole, as well as in the selectivecombination or application of the respective elements, and no limitationis intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description orillustrations in' the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. A positive column tube arrangement comprising a plurality of groupsof positive column .allel adjacent relation, a high voltage trans-. Lformer means, connections between the high volt-.

age transformer means and the positive column tubes and between thetubes so that one end of one parallel tube is connected to the far endof its adjacent parallel tube.

3. A positive column tube arrangement comprising a plurality of pairs ofpositive column I tubes, the tubes of each pair being positioned inparallel-adjacent relation with each other, a high voltage transformermeans, connections between the tubes so that the adjacent end of onetube of each pair'of parallel tubes is connected to the far end of theother tube of the pair, and connections connecting each pair of tubes inseries .with another pair and with the transformer.

4. A positive column tube arrangement comprising 'two pairs of positivecolumn tubes, the tubes of each pair being positioned in paralleladjacent relation, a high voltage transformer, connections between thetubesso that the adjacent end of one tube of each pair of parallel tubesis connected to the far end of the other tube of the pair, andconnections connecting each pair of tubes inseries with the other pairand with the transformer; v

5. A positive column tube arrangement comprising two pairs of positivecolumn tubes, the tubes of each pair being positioned in paralleladjacent relation and each pair of tubes being positioned end to end. ahigh voltage transformer,

. i y aovaooa connections between the tubes so that the adjacent end ofone tube of each pair of parallel tubes is connected to the far end ofthe other tube of the pair, a connection. connecting each pair of tubesin series with the other pair, and connections connecting thetransformer with one tube of each pair-at the ends which are adjacenteach other. l

6. A positive column tube arrangement comprising two pairs of positivecolumn tubes, the tubes of each pair being positioned in paralleladiacentrelation and each pair of tubes being positioned end to end, ahigh voltage transformer, connections between the tubes so that theadjacent end of one tube of each pair of parallel tubes is connected tothe far end of the other tube of the pair, a connection between thetransformer and the far .end of one of the pair of tubes, 9. connectionbetween the transformer and the far end of the tube on the opposite sideof the second end to end, a pair of high voltage transformers,

connections connecting one tube of each pair in series with each otherand with one of the high voltage transformers, and connectionsconnect-.. -ing the other tube or each pair of tubes in series with eachother and'the other transformer and the same direction.

8. A method 'of operating positive column tubes from a transformer meanswhich tubes are positioned in adjacent parallel relation comprisingapplying as high a voltage to the-end of one of the parallel adjacenttubes as is available from the transformer means, and applying themaximum voltage now available to the adjacent end of thenext adjacentparallel tube so that the voltage drop in all parallel tubes is in thesame direction. r

9. A method of operating positive column tubes from a transformer meanswhich tubes are positioned in groups of adjacent parallel relation andeach group is in end to end relation comprising applying as high avoltage to the end of one of the parallel adjacent tubes in each groupas is available from the transformer means,'applying as high a voltageas is available to the adjacent end of the other adjacent parallel tubesof each group, and applying as high a. voltage as is available to thetubes of each group in end to end relation. Y

10. A positive column tube arrangement comprising a plurality ofpositive column tubes having at least two tubes positioned in closelyadjacent parallel relation, a high voltage transformer means, andconnections connecting the tubes together in series with the transformermeans so that the potential drop in adjacent tubes is-in 1mm ECKNAYAN.

